Direction and Priorities for System Stewardship

Better Public Services Advisory Group report 2011 “For a country as small as New Zealand, we have an inordinately complex and cluttered state sector… “The gains from consolidating go beyond efficiencies in running costs: they include more co-ordinated activity, pooled expertise, lower transaction costs and fewer and easier points of interaction for citizens and business. “

Report of the Advisory Group on the Review of the Centre 2001 “The first big issue requiring attention is the interface of Government with citizens…A second important issue is fragmentation… “The large number of agencies, portfolios and votes makes it more difficult to agree and actively pursue cross cutting objectives, and provide integrated service delivery

This document sets out for the state services the commitments chief executives have made to put the current and future needs and wellbeing of New Zealanders at the heart of their

operations, and take collective responsibility to meet them.

The three pages following set out what we need to achieve over the next four years to advance our objective, what we need to focus on, and how it will look for New Zealanders.

System Operating Principles

The State services operate collectively, enabling an efficient, effective and relevant government-citizen relationship for a better New Zealand. Chief Executives take collective responsibility for enabling that approach. To this end they:

Mobilise their people, time and resources around the priority outcomes that make the most positive difference to New Zealand and New Zealanders.

Design processes that use citizen engagement, information, evidence and cost-benefit analysis to advise Government on what those priorities are.

Build the capability and develop the leadership required to deliver on those outcomes within departments and across the system.

Develop and constantly review the medium and long-term operating environment and plan for it

Integrate their agency commitments and wider system responsibilities

Applying these principles means:

NZers: front and centre of the

State Services

Responsive Agencies.

Outcomes

The State Services are focused on their customers’ wellbeing by:

delivering on the Government’s objectives

meeting the priority needs of New Zealanders

enabling sustainable business growth

improving the relationship with government through innovative service delivery

measuring and reporting on system performance

maintaining trust and confidence by meeting customers’ increasing service delivery expectations

To deliver for New Zealand the State services need to be ahead of the game in:

using information and engaging with the public, including Maori, to understand and meet the priority needs of New Zealanders

understanding the needs of business and tailoring services accordingly

moving money, people and resources to deliver on priority work

working collectively when that’s what it takes to achieve results

developing a Crown:Maori relationship that benefits iwi and New Zealand

Continuously improving through organisational learning

Putting New Zealanders front and centre requires a leadership approach that:

Appoints, develops and performance manages system leaders confident and skilled in working across the system

Systematically identifies and develops talent across the system and values the movement of talent between the public, private, and third sectors

Deploys critical capabilities and resources across agencies to deliver cross-cutting results

Draws on talent with the system and beyond to build succession planning

Identifies key capability needs in the system and acts to address these

Leadership and capability.

We build the leadership that uses evidence to deliver services that result in better outcomes for New Zealanders.

To achieve this we need to set the direction in four key areas:

Outcomes

Taking a results approach, across the business of government, has created priorities that require agencies to work together. The results approach provides clarity of objectives, measurement of achievement, and public disclosure of progress.

The government of the day experiences agile State services that deliver on its priorities

New Zealanders see explicit, priorities across significant areas of government activity with clear targets, measurement and progress.

Barriers to working ‘horizontally’ across the system are overcome

A customer-centric outcomes approach is the default setting for the way the State services operate within and between agencies.

Government engages with New Zealanders and organises services around the needs of customers rather than agencies’ convenience.

Extent of change planned 2016 to 2020

Service Innovation

There are incentives, information and accountability mechanisms in place that support innovation, collaboration, and service delivery focused on the priority needs of New Zealanders.

Increasing number of services available via digital channels

Funding innovations – for cross-agency initiatives and Multi-Category Appropriations.

Uptake of continuous improvement methodologies. The Performance Improvement Framework provides a four-year strategic outlook.

Flexible funding and resources, together with digital technology enable service transformation and citizen-focused service delivery. Services are transformed (e.g. MSD, IRD, ACC) around customer needs.

The policy system provides advice on a cross-system basis based on evidence, analysis and effective community engagement

State services are partnering with the public sector, NGOs, Iwi, private sector and local government to deliver services, underpinned by digital technology.

Policy, funding, operational and organisational design work seamlessly to continuously improve services to New Zealanders and overseas customers.

The disruptive potential of advanced digital technology is harnessed to transform services. Delivery is by those best placed to deliver outcomes

The system moves resources (funding, assets, capability) quickly and easily to what works.

Using Evidence

The IDI has enabled better Social Sector data integration. There is a stronger approach to privacy/security.

Governance has been strengthened through ICT Strategic Leadership Group

Heads of Profession and network of science advisors in place.

PIF and BASS and increase availability of performance information for planning and improvement

Better understanding of the information landscape, security and privacy.

People have confidence that they own their information and their privacy is maintained.

We invest in what works based on evidence and evaluation to provide more effective and efficient public services.

Common standards for configuring data are in place and being implemented.

Data is in the right place, accurate and complete

Government data is by default available for public use and private sector use

There is high public trust and confidence in the government’s management and use of data

Data is stewarded as a system asset for better services to New Zealanders.

Government data is complete and is able to be shared, unless there is an accepted reason not to, including personalised data where relevant.

Change 2011 - 2015

System Leadership

State Services Commissioner mandated as Head of State Services

CE group collectively takes responsibility for system stewardship.

New approach to CE executive management in the Public Service.

Multiple new system leadership roles: sector and results leads, functional leads, heads of profession

Four Year Plans are improving planning, direction setting and system change

CEs mobilise highly skilled and mobile senior teams in support of the direction.

The leadership of the State services reflects and responds to the diversity of New Zealand society.

The system is more flexible and adaptable and attracts and develops leaders from public, private and third sectors

The State Sector Leadership Group provides leadership of the change programme between the biannual CEs’ meetings

Collaborative leadership extends to Crown entities.

System leadership is future focused, collaborative, empowering of staff, and reflective of the diversity of society.

CEs collectively lead system development with demonstrable benefits for services to New Zealanders

Ambition

for 2025

To achieve the direction we are committed to the following priorities

Outcomes

Build on the momentum and success of well defined results and extend it to significant social, economic, and environmental goals and adopting more ambitious targets.

Use chief executive expectations, performance and career management to enable the achievement of results and support the work of result lead CEs.

Strengthen system stewardship through robust four year agency and sector plans

System Leadership

The Leadership Success Profile, Leadership Insight and the Talent Management Information System, together with the Career Boards, are the foundation for:

The systematic identification, assessment and development of leadership talent and succession

State services that reflect New Zealand’s diversity and are focused on building strong communities and an inclusive society.

Expand deployment of leaders and key experts according to system priorities, including strategic policy capability

Succession planning is a feature of the system and plans are in place for senior leadership roles and key positions.

Performance management is reinforcing sectoral, stewardship and cross-system responsibilities of CEs

Central agencies act to maintain progress on Four Year Plans and the integration of these with the PIF 4 year excellence horizon and CE performance expectations.

An integrated strategy for greater effectiveness of functional leadership in IT, Property, and Procurement is developed and implemented.

The Heads of Profession (Legal, Policy, HR, Finance, Communications) and the Functional Leads have identified system capability needs and strategies are in place to build them.

Consider developing the PIF to encompass sectors, including the Crown entity components of sectors.

Use existing vehicles to integrate cross-government advice on major challenges that New Zealand faces

Use fortnightly CE meetings, and biannual away days, to build system stewardship

Using Evidence

New Zealanders understand the value of data use and the protections and safeguards around its use. On this basis information sharing between agencies is the default position.

Data assets are expanded beyond Crown data to support data-driven innovation

Statistics New Zealand is the authority that sets governance structures, common standards and frameworks to enable effective data use to achieve collective outcomes across Government.

Data analytics capability is developed to support evidential decision making across Government.

Greater use of data by iwi, NGOs and private sector

Data analytics projects are implemented around priority areas to support solutions and design services

Service Innovation

Successfully implement digitally enabled services for New Zealanders organised around life events, and streamline services for businesses.

Use digital technology to enable new services and as a platform for expanding the partnership approach with NGOs, private sector providers, Iwi, and local government where that is what it takes to achieve results.

Develop and begin implementation of strategy for the Auckland New Zealand needs.

Adopt effective outcomes-based contracting approaches

Expand use of continuous improvement methodologies, and the Performance Improvement Framework, to support agencies to develop higher quality services.

Resolve funding for cross-system capability building, e.g. through a ‘Vote: Horizontal’.

Four year priorities

Year one priorities

Over the next 12 months we will:

Build leadership capability and diversity across the system through the Talent Management System, Leadership Insight, and through the work of the four Career Boards

Know how the system can protect data privacy, build public confidence in this, and use data more effectively in designing better services. We will take action to address the issues around privacy and flexible use of data through standards and infrastructure for data exchange, and by leading discussion with New Zealanders on innovative data use.

Apply the investment approach across all areas of work so that outcomes are clearly defined, closely focused on the priority needs of customers, and strongly informed by evidence.

Understand how the State sector can best contribute to New Zealand becoming a leading digital economy, build and start implementing a plan to make this happen.

Identify the way forward for functional leadership, including building strategic alignment between the three areas and measures to overcome barriers to progress.

Agree a strategy for the State services contribution to the Auckland New Zealand needs

Embed the directions and priorities for system stewardship in our four year plans, agency communications and culture of service and delivery.

What customers see

Outcomes

I can see the progress being made across social, economic, and environmental outcomes and the improvement for New Zealand that results.

I see the State services working together for an inclusive society that improves the lives of all New Zealanders.

I see the State services delivering value for money

Throughout my life the services I need from government, and the entitlements I am owed, are connected and I benefit from that.

My business benefits from the easy and seamless dealings with government. The rules are clear, fair, and reasonable.

We design and deliver services to meet needs in the most effective, efficient, and beneficial way

System Leadership

I see consistency and commonality in how people in government talk to me, how information is provided and how the digital services work.

My experience with government means I trust it to act in my and New Zealand’s best interests

The parts of government work together with me and for me and my community.

I can easily find the help or service I need and feel I am listened to in delivering it.

Government works as one system, tailoring its approach to enable my organisation or business to flourish, in ways that I understand and think are fair and reasonable

As leaders we work collectively and with our customers focused on the priority needs of New Zealanders.

Using Evidence

I trust the government to keep my information safe and secure and I understand the benefits of allowing my information to be shared, under my control.

Government shares information:

Data sets and information government holds are made available for me to use innovatively;

Knowledge is proactively provided to me, targeted to my particular needs.

I understand that Information about me or my business is shared across government so that services can be tailored and efficient.

Privacy, confidentiality, commercial sensitivity, accessibility and quality are managed both for me, and by me.

I know how my information has been used and when it has been accessed.

My data is shared across government, making things a lot easier for me.

I can choose to share my data outside government, if and when I want.

When I need to find information, I can easily do that in a way which is useful.

Decisions are evidence based and trustworthy

Data is made available for me to use innovatively and create value. It is easy for me to identify, understand, and analyse.

I don’t have to repeatedly provide information that government already has.

I own my data and can share and use as I need.

Information generated or collected by our agencies is used in multiple ways, across government and New Zealand, to support better outcomes for all.

Service Innovation

When I access services, I start from what I want to do, not which agency I have to deal with. The assistance government provides is about what I need or want to do,.

Common Services, such as making payments or , confirming I am “me”, are the same everywhere.

Private sector, NGOs, iwi and others are able to complement and partner with government offerings more effectively.

I am proactively offered a range of services and entitlements when something important happens in my life;

I can digitally and easily keep track of where I am, what I need to do, and when things will happen.

Where my business or organisation requires interaction with different agencies and local bodies, that is managed for me

My business is proactively notified of what I need to do and think about

I can digitally and easily update information, receive notifications, track all my activity with government, and access common services.

We design and deliver state services which make the greatest difference for New Zealanders.

Overview

Individuals and families

Organisations and businesses

Government-as -customer